Simulated log building



April 2, 1957 J. R. JOHNSON 2,787,029

SIMULATED LOG BUILDING Filed Oct. 19, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 v 6 o n "3 RMQ"&NR&W

\ John R. Johnson INVENTOR.

\ BY 'm/Wwq 75.

April 2, 1957 J. R. JOHNSON 2,787,029

SIMULATED LOG BUILDING Filed Oct. 19, 1955 5 Sheeis-Sheet 2 John R. Johnson INVENTOR.

I April 1957 J. R. JOHNSON 2,787,029

SIMULATED LOG BUILDING Filed Oct. 19, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 John R. Johnson 1N VEN TOR.

United States This invention relates to building structures, and particularly to simulated log buildings, as cabins.

An object of this invention is to provide asimulated log building which is easily constructed, utilizing a number of spacers having curved outer surfaces on which lath is attached, there being applied on the lath sheets of curved inexpensive weather-proof material, such as asphalt roofing material. In this way, cementitious products are wholly avoided, and particularly those cementitious products which have a Portland cement base. A completely dry wall is made in the practice of the invention, and yet, the resulting structure is authentic in appearance and highly resistant to. the weather.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simulated log building wall which is rapidly constructed by vertically stacking successive simulated logs, each log utilizing a cross-sectionally curved sheet of waterresistant material beneath which there is a metal lath or screen support, the support being carried by and connected to a number of spacers and held in place at least partially by parting strips which simulate log cabin chinking or calking between the logs.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accom panying drawingsvforming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a wall of a building made in accordance with the invention, the roof of the building being shown schematically;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary sectionalview taken ap proximately on the plane of line 2-2 of Figure land in the direction ofthe arrows; t t t s Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 33 of Figure 2; t t

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4+4 of Figure 3; t t s t Figure 5 is anexploded perspective view of the components which form a part of one log in the wall of FigureZ; I

Figure 6 is a perspective wall of Figure l; i V s Figure 7 is a sectional view taken on theline; 7-4-7 of Fia efi; M t

Figure 8 is a perspective viewwof a modified corner for the wall of Figure l; s

Figure-9 is a sectional view taken on a line 9-9 of Figure 8 and in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary perspective view of another corner construction forthe vvall of Figure 1;. F Figure 1 1 is a transverse sectionalview taken on the line 1111 of Figure 10; and F Figure 12 is a perspective viewer a modified spacer usable in the wall of Figure 1 inorder to finish the interior of the wall in a manner different from that which would be used in connection with the spacers shown in the other views.

view of one corner of the atent O In the accompanying drawings, the cabin 10 includes a foundation, as a footing, on which a masonry slab is poured. Alternatively, wood or masonry pilings or pillars may be used and a masonry or wood floor placed thereon. In this regard, the embodiment of Figure 2 illustrates a wood floor 12 supported by utilizing usual building construction techniques, for example, by having floor joists 14 on which the flooring is nailed, the joists having a face plate 16 at the ends thereof.

Standard windows, as the double hung sliding sash. 18 are used. The same holds true for door 20 and its frame 22. The roof construction will be conventional and in keeping with the motif of the simulated log building. 3

Each wall of the building 10 is constructed in a similar manner. Considering the front wall of the building 10, it is made of a plurality of superposed simulated logs. For example, the front wall 23 consists of logs 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 and 34 respectively. Any number of logs may be used as required by the diameter of each log and the height of the wall 23. Each log consists of a plurality of spacers (Figure 5), for example, the spacers 36 and 38 in the typical fragmentary log of Figure 5. Each spacer has an arcuate front surface and an arcuate rear surface, being generally disk-shaped. In fabrication, the plate 40 is secured to the floor 12 and a plurality of the spacers, for example, spacers 36 and 38 are placed thereon with the lower notches of each fitted over the plate 40. The upper notches or slots in the spacers accommodate connecting strips which hold the spacers of the lower simulated log 25 connected to the adjacent spacers of the adjacent log 26 thereon. All of the spacers are built up in this way for all of the logs. In this connection, attention is invited to Figures 3 and 4 where the spacer 36 is shown in detail, it accommodating lower connecting strip 44 in its lower slot 46 and accommodating upper connecting strip 48 in its upper slot 50. Each disk is centrally apertured, as at 52, so that a connecting rod 54 may be passed therethrough in order to help to support the wall. There need not be rods through all of the spacers, inasmuch as such support will not be required. However, one or more of the logs having a rod 54 extending through it will materially strengthen the construction of the building. 7

At spaced places along the walls there are uprights 49 which make the walls rigid and straight. The uprights rise upwardly through the center of the wall and are nailed to each connecting strip 44 and 48 as each strip is placed in a series of spacers 36 and fastened to the spacers by nails driven through drilled holes in discs 36 into the strips. The uprights 49 are placed and nailed to the connecting strips 44 and 48 in the spaces between the spacers so that uprights 49 do not come in contact with the spacers.

The front surface of each of the spacers in a single log is curved in order to accommodate the curved lath, as at 58 for the log 32. This lath in made of wire mesh in order to be strong when curved so that it is approximately arcuate in cross-section. For the log 32, there is a sheet 60 of water-repellant material of the type used for roofing and having an asphalt base.- Such roofing material is already available in shades and hues which resemble closely the color of the logs of a log cabin. Sheet 60 is curved in cross-section similar to the curvature of the lath 58 and is placed thereover.

In fabrication, after the lowermost disks are placed on the plate 40 and nailed in place, the first connectingsti'ip v is inserted in the upper slots of the lowermost spacers.

These are nailed in place and then the next log is begun by placing its spacers with their lowermost notches or slots in-terfitted with the previously mentioned connecting secured, as by nailing, to the post other rods or conductors. ,aligned openings 52 in the smaller spacers.

strip. This-procedure is continued until the entire wall framing is made in this way. When window openings are required or door openings are deemed necessary, appropriate provision is made by arranging the spacers properly for arranging this (Figure 1). Then, the lath in strips is placed on the outer surfaces of the spacers. This lath'is nailed in place or simply tacked. Thereafter, the sheets, as sheet 6%, of roofing material are placed on the lathe. In doing this, part-ing strips, as those at 6 are placed'between the sheets and at the junctions thereof. These parting strips are preferably trianguiar in crosssection, and the apex portion thereof is inserted first. Then, the strips 64 are nailed in place with the nails going through the lath and the outer sheets 60 and into the spacers and/ or the connecting strips. This forms a typical wall.

There are several variations of corners and interior finish for such a wall. For example, in Figure 3, the corner construction comprises a pair of vertical posts 70 and 7:2 arranged at right angles to each other and connected, as by being nailed. The ends of the connecting strips for'each of the walls are nailed to the vertical posts 70 and 72. The ends of the outer surface forming lath and sheet material are mitered, as at 74. inasmuch as the corner posts 76 and 72 are offset with respect to the line of miter, the spacers of one wall forming this corner may remain intact, but the spacers for t.e other of the walls forming this mitered corner are formed as half-rounds 7 8 so that they may be placed as close as possible to the actual junction of the walls. In this way, strength of construction is achieved.

As an alternative construction for the corner, it may be formed by vertical posts 8-0 and 81 which are joined at right angles to each other (Figures 6 and 7) and nailed in place. A vertical series of spaced half-rounds 82 are A similar row of half-rounds 83 on the post 31 are attached by nailing or other ways. The half-rounds $2 and 33 function as spacers for the corners of the lath and sheet material.

I A further corner construction is seen in Figures 8 and 9 and includes a box construction having vertical posts 84 and 85 arranged at right angles to each other and joined.

A vertical row ofspacers 86 that are identical to spacers 38am nailed, or otherwise rigidly secured to the post 84.

A vertical row of spacers '87 is secured to the post 85.

Vertical face boards 83 and 89 are nailed at right angles to each other and at right angles to the posts 34 and 35.

cation wherein the spacers 9t} forone wall are elongated, as are the spacers 91 for the joining wall. The elongated spacers 90 and 91 have mitered ends which are abutted and joined as by spiking. Otherwise, the spacers 9% in "one wall are connected together by means of connecting strips, as described in connection with the shorter spacers. The same construction prevails for the wall in which the spacers 91a-re disposed. A vertical bore 92 is formed at the mitered junction of the spacers 9t and Min order to accommodate a sectional riser 93. This riser is anchored in the floor and/ or foundation for the building and retains the corner fixed in place. This riser may be hollow in order to accommodate electrical service, plumbing and The same holdstrue for the They may accommodate electrical service, as'conduits or cable, or may accommodate gas and plumbing lines.

Theinterior finish of the walls is optional. t'may be where the spacers have the curved inner surface (Figure 4) and these inner surfaces are fashioned with lath and covering material. For the interior, the covering need not be roofing, but may be selected from a group of other commercially available wall coverings, depending upon the texture and the finish desired. Parting strips 64 are used on the interior surface of the wall for the same purposes that they are used on the exterior wall. Where a flat inner Wall is desired, the'spacers are fitted with flat inner surfaces, as at 96 for the spacer 97. Of course, customary wall construction may be used, as studs or firring strips on which wallboard, lath in' addition to plaster and other types of interior finish are supported.

Inasmuch as this construction is essentially a hollow type, the voids between the outer surfaces and the inner surfaces of the wall maybe filled with insulation to reduce heat losses.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation'shown and described, and accordinglyjall suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling Within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

, 1. In a simulated log building, a wall comprising a plurality of superposed pairs of spacers separated from each other, each spacer having a curved outer surface, a separate lath extending'across'each pair of said spacers and mounted on the curved surfaces thereof, a layer of sheet material on each lath, said lath and said sheet material on each pair of spacers being curved in cross-section to simulate a log, a parting strip between'each adjacent pair of spacers and over adjacent edges of adjacent layers of sheet material, said parting strip simulating the chinking between logs of a log building will, the confronting parts of adjacent spacers having 'slots, and connecting strips extending between the spacers of each pair and 'disposedin said slots.

2. A simulated'log building having walls, at least one of said walls comprising two vertical rows of spacers, structural means supporting said spacers, said spacers being made of wood and arranged in generally horizontal pairs, the spacers 'of each pair having an arcuate' face, metal laths'on each pair of spacers, there being one metal lath for each of said pairs and each metal lath being in the shape of a segment of a cylinder, :1 layer of sheet material on each of said laths, each layer b'eing made of water repellent material and being in the'shape of a segment of a cylinder, adjacent layers of sheet material and adjacent laths having confronting edges in the region of the spacers which are adjacent to eah'other, a parting strip over each of said pairs of confronting edges, said parting strips being approximately triangular in crosssection, fasteners extending through said parting strips to anchorthem to said spaced wooden spacers, said parting strips simulating the chi'nking or calking in alog'build ing wall, the confronting areas of said pairs of said wooden References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,949,426 Loy et a1. Mar. 6, 1934 1,971,994 Smith Aug. 28, 1934 2,045,482 'Maier June 23, 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS 377L304 Germany a; June 16, 1923 

